Argumentative Essay On Assisted Suicide

Death is a natural process in life that will be experienced by everyone at some point, but hopefully it will happen at the end of a long, well lived life. The reality is that no one knows when that time will come or how it will happen. Unfortunately, for the terminally ill, death is in the near future and is a sobering reality. Therefore, when it does happen, people need to know that they will have options, and be reassured that death does not have to be an agonizing end. They can choose to endure the annihilating pain that comes with the disease and allow it to take its natural course or choose to put an end to it, surrounded by those who love them. For the terminally ill the decision ending their lives with compassion should be a fundamental

Furthermore, it is inconceivable and difficult to imagine that a person’s desperation can be so great to consider taking his or her own life in complete isolation to be a better alternative, but that is exactly what is happening. Consequently, having family present would incriminate them and they could potentially be charged with homicide, since in many states committing suicide is illegal regardless of the circumstances. In the state of California, aiding someone in taking his or her own life is considered a crime. Harry a California resident, who was once a physician and diagnosed with terminal “myeloma” (Drum 27) is well aware of the ordeal ahead of him, decided he would take his own life when the pain became too much to bear. As a result, Harry understood that he would need to put his plan into action sooner than he should, because according to Drum recounts “he was afraid that if he delayed it any longer he’d become physically unable to remain in control of his own destiny” (27). According to Drum, “he walked into his bedroom, put a plastic bag over his head and opened up a tank of helium” (27-28) referring to Harry. Sadly, he did so alone, to protect his family from any legal repercussions. It is inhumane to deny someone the right to “assisted suicide” (Sanburn 50), when dying really is an act of mercy. No

While, it may seem as a conflict of interest to have a doctor aid their patients in ending their lives, the “California’s Medical Association became the first statewide medical group to drop its opposition to aid the dying” (Sanburn 50) opening the path for physicians to help their patients. This is a colossal step in the right direction. It signals that the medical community is beginning to understand that part of caring for their patients is also making sure that they assist them in mitigating their suffering, in some instances by providing end of life care. Who can possibly have the best interest of the patient if not their doctor? Some may think that eventually, doctors may find it too easy to pull the plug, but safeguards are in place to prevent that from happening. For instance, in Oregon a patient requesting “end-of-life” (Drum 29) assistance must first meet certain criteria. The prerequisites are as follows: “making sure that the patient must be over eighteen years old; the patient must vocalize the request of end-of-life; two physicians must be present, the attending and a consulting, to ensure that the patient is indeed facing death within six months due to the illness” (White 610).

The last provision also is designed to protect those with disabilities and the elderly, and it states, “A patient